Best footballer ever from your county.

[Ohtoohtobe]

JD a fair call for Kildare though couldn't argue if someone went with Glenn Ryan. Nuckser probably more talented than both.

I think Glenn and Johnny were the only two of our most talented players of the last 30 years or so who reached their true potential in a Kildare jersey.

Nuxer was injured after the Leinster Final in 98 and was then lost to emigration when he should have been at his peak. He was the most naturally talented Kildare footballer I have seen apart from Martin Lynch who was almost unplayable as a midfielder when he was in the right mood. He won an All Star at midfield as a 20 year old. I don't think he ever scaled those heights again afterwards because we had to make a forward out of him where he was never as influential. 

Cork saw Larry's best years rather than Kildare. He never got a chance to shine on a poor Kildare team in the eighties but could have made a big difference on the team during Micko's first stint in the early nineties. Fahy likewise.

Dermot Earley probably only had two injury free years in his entire career and won an All Star in both of those years.

As consistently excellent as Johnny has been for 14 years I would have to go with Glenn as the best Kildare footballer I have seen. I think Glenn was one of the best players in his position of his generation but I'm not sure I could say the same about Johnny. Micko said that Glenn's display against Laois in 97 was the greatest performance from a centre half back that he had ever seen in Croke Park. That's good enough for me.

Couldn't disagree. If longevity is a factor - and I think it has to be - then I'd go Glenn first, John second. However I think Nuckser at his best was a cut above any other Kildare player I've seen in terms of raw ability, the fact that he got an All-Star in a year Kildare were knocked out in the Leinster semi-final shows how unplayable he was that year. We never got the best from Lynch, though he did play a major role in 1998, "winning" so many frees. There was more in him though.

[Rossfan]

When did "ever" start ladeens? 1998? (or 2003 in Tyrone's case??)
I presume Kildare's best EVER would have been from 1927/28.

[seafoid]

When did "ever" start ladeens? 1998? (or 2003 in Tyrone's case??)
I presume Kildare's best EVER would have been from 1927/28.

Larry Stanley

I think the Lilies have 4 senior all Irelands

[Syferus]

When did "ever" start ladeens? 1998? (or 2003 in Tyrone's case??)
I presume Kildare's best EVER would have been from 1927/28.

Sure those were bad years for football. All the best teams of all-time played in the 40s.

[OakleafCounty]

Based on what I've seen. Had to leave a few out.

Antrim - Kevin Madden
Armagh - Kieran McGeeny
Carlow -
Cavan - Dermot McCabe
Clare -
Cork - Shea Fahey
Derry - Anthony Tohill
Donegal - Michael Murphy
Down - James McCarten
Dublin - Stephen Cluxton
Fermanagh - Rory Gallagher
Galway - Sean og de Poar
Kerry - Maurice Fitzgerald
Kildare - Glen Ryan
Kilkenny - 
Laois - Ross Munnelly
Leitrim -
Limerick - Stephen Kelly
Longford - Paul Barden
Louth -
Mayo - Aiden O'Shea
Meath - Trevor Giles
Monaghan - Tommy Freeman
Offaly - Ciaran McManus
Roscommon - Frankie Dolan
Sligo - Eamon O'Hara
Tipperary - Declan Browne
Tyrone - Sean Cavanagh
Waterford -
Westmeath - Dessie Dolan
Wexford - Mattie Forde
Wicklow - Leighton Glynn

[Bingo]

Nudie Hughes would be Monaghans. Could play anywhere and excel at it.

[Mikhailov]

top half dozen footballers that I have seen in my lifetime are in no particular order;

Larry Tompkins (Cork) - awesome player who brought a level of performance and fitness that was rarely matched by any other player of that time. Had some great battles with the Meath men
Peter Canavan (Tyrone) - almost impossible to mark for entire game and only needed a sniff to be able to score. Great leader also. Arguably the best of all time....
Anthony Tohill (Derry) - Collosus of a man who despite his size had great skill, brilliant from the dead ball and had great fielding ability - was one of the first to step it up a gear in terms of prep and fitness
Kieran McGeeney (Armagh) - Great player & leader who done his talking on the pitch, quiet man who never failed to deliver when it mattered except 2005 AI semi if you are Joe Kernan
Trevor Giles (Meath) - brilliant player who had super vision and passing ability but deceptively very strong. Seemed to go thru games in slow motion such was his elegance.
Maurice Fitzgerald (Kerry) - like Giles, was supremely elegant and could play anywhere and score from anywhere as well. Should have won much more in terms of titles etc

Also considered;

Paul Curran (Dublin) - the first attacking half back and boy could he do it. Still reportedly going strong for Dublin 40+
Colm O'Rourke (Meath) - super player, strong, accurate and immense in the big games
Ja Fallon (Galway) - again a super player who could play anywhere and deliver the goods. Mighty left peg on him
Steven O'Brien (Cork) - could play anywhere on the pitch, very strong, dependable player. Much better defender though
Aaron Kernan (Armagh) - IMHO the best and most influential club player in Ireland by a mile. Due to Armagh going through a rough patch, does not get recognition he deserves
Niall Buckley (Kildare) - brilliant fielder with super skills who was lost to USA - is he still in the states....?
Brian McGuigan (Tyrone) - best performance in an AI final in 2005 that I have ever witnessed. Didn't get the plaudits he deserved

[J OGorman]

Stephen O'Neill is the player that could have been up there if his career hadn't been decimated with injury.  He rose to prominence at an early age but University committments etc curtailed his involvement in 2003, although he came on to kick 2 points that took Tyrone home.  In 2005 he had a summer no player has matched since.  He was untouchable that year and in my time watching football there has been no player better at scoring off either foot.  Unfortunately, the beginning of 2006 saw the start of the saerious knee and hamstring injuries that were to affect him for the rest of his career.  He still had a lot of good moments, but to be honest was never the same player again due to training restrictions and long term impact that the injuries had on his speed and agility.

100%..., very few have  lit up Croke Pk like O'Neill on his day. As naturally a gifted footballer that has ever played the game. Some player. The black card will bring more of the silky players to the fore again

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

Ciaran McDonald
Willie Joe Padden
Liam McHale
Tom Langan
Sean Flanagan
Peter Brogan
Paddy Prendergast
Padraig Carney
Sean Lowry
Henry Gavin
Kenneth Mortiomer
Peter Burke
Joe Corcoran
Kevin O'Neill
Tommy O'Malley
Noel Connelly
Colm McManamon
Willie Casey
John Morley
Gabriel Irwin
Ray Dempsey
Keith Higgins
Eugene Lavin
Andy Moran
Pat Fallon
Conor Mortimor

[LeoMc]

Based on what I've seen. Had to leave a few out.

Antrim - Kevin Madden
Armagh - Kieran McGeeny
Carlow -
Cavan - Dermot McCabe
Clare -
Cork - Shea Fahey
Derry - Anthony Tohill
Donegal - Michael Murphy
Down - James McCarten
Dublin - Stephen Cluxton
Fermanagh - Rory Gallagher
Galway - Sean og de Poar
Kerry - Maurice Fitzgerald
Kildare - Glen Ryan
Kilkenny - 
Laois - Ross Munnelly
Leitrim -
Limerick - Stephen Kelly
Longford - Paul Barden
Louth -
Mayo - Aiden O'Shea
Meath - Trevor Giles
Monaghan - Tommy Freeman
Offaly - Ciaran McManus
Roscommon - Frankie Dolan
Sligo - Eamon O'Hara
Tipperary - Declan Browne
Tyrone - Sean Cavanagh
Waterford -
Westmeath - Dessie Dolan
Wexford - Mattie Forde
Wicklow - Leighton Glynn

By the age profile of the other players ion your list I am assuming you mean James McCartan Junior?

No Canavan?
Rory Gallagher?

[Don Corleone]

Taking my cue from the title of the thread - O'Malley was a much better footballer than Dermot. FULL STOP Gasúinín.
Now have your batheen and go to bed.

I'm not about to interfere between genuine followers of Connacht football here, all making valid points, but just to say that Gerry O'Malley was the only player I've seen who could consistently subdue Sean Purcell. The fact that it was a bleak spell for Roscommon speaks volumes about O'Malley's colleagues. Dermot Earley was surrounded by better players, many of whom here mentioned in a subsequent post in fairness.

Galway: Sean Purcell.
Leitrim: Packy McGarty.
Mayo: Willie Casey.
Roscommon: Gerry O'Malley.
Sligo: Mickey Kearnes.

I can't fathom the Down nominations. Sean O'Neill is head and shoulders above all suggestions. (It must be an age thing)

[DuffleKing]

top half dozen footballers that I have seen in my lifetime are in no particular order;

Larry Tompkins (Cork) - awesome player who brought a level of performance and fitness that was rarely matched by any other player of that time. Had some great battles with the Meath men
Peter Canavan (Tyrone) - almost impossible to mark for entire game and only needed a sniff to be able to score. Great leader also. Arguably the best of all time....
Anthony Tohill (Derry) - Collosus of a man who despite his size had great skill, brilliant from the dead ball and had great fielding ability - was one of the first to step it up a gear in terms of prep and fitness
Kieran McGeeney (Armagh) - Great player & leader who done his talking on the pitch, quiet man who never failed to deliver when it mattered except 2005 AI semi if you are Joe Kernan
Trevor Giles (Meath) - brilliant player who had super vision and passing ability but deceptively very strong. Seemed to go thru games in slow motion such was his elegance.
Maurice Fitzgerald (Kerry) - like Giles, was supremely elegant and could play anywhere and score from anywhere as well. Should have won much more in terms of titles etc

Also considered;

Paul Curran (Dublin) - the first attacking half back and boy could he do it. Still reportedly going strong for Dublin 40+
Colm O'Rourke (Meath) - super player, strong, accurate and immense in the big games
Ja Fallon (Galway) - again a super player who could play anywhere and deliver the goods. Mighty left peg on him
Steven O'Brien (Cork) - could play anywhere on the pitch, very strong, dependable player. Much better defender though
Aaron Kernan (Armagh) - IMHO the best and most influential club player in Ireland by a mile. Due to Armagh going through a rough patch, does not get recognition he deserves
Niall Buckley (Kildare) - brilliant fielder with super skills who was lost to USA - is he still in the states....?
Brian McGuigan (Tyrone) - best performance in an AI final in 2005 that I have ever witnessed. Didn't get the plaudits he deserved

That's embarrassing. Without leaving the same club, Oisin McConville & John McEntee easily more influential and that's without trying. Wouldn't register in Armagh's best 50 players.
As an aside, it's amazing how people perceive the best club players to somehow always be playing for teams who win championships. Most of the best club players i've encountered over the years are performing heroics carrying mediocre teams on their back and keeping their club competitive in lower leagues.

[moysider]

Ciaran McDonald
Willie Joe Padden
Liam McHale
Tom Langan
Sean Flanagan
Peter Brogan
Paddy Prendergast
Padraig Carney
Sean Lowry
Henry Gavin
Kenneth Mortiomer
Peter Burke
Joe Corcoran
Kevin O'Neill
Tommy O'Malley
Noel Connelly
Colm McManamon
Willie Casey
John Morley
Gabriel Irwin
Ray Dempsey
Keith Higgins
Eugene Lavin
Andy Moran
Pat Fallon
Conor Mortimor

What's that?

[Don Corleone]

Early possibilities for the local elections....Peter Brogan 

[North Longford]

I see everyone is going with Paul Barden in Longford. Would argue its a very close run thing between Paul and Dessie Barry. Dessie would have played on any county team in Ireland. Some of the goals he scored were incredible including one very heartbreaking one from my own perspective!!!!
From a pure talent point of view I've seen very few footballers with the natural ability Declan Reilly possesses. I think he is completely wasted playing corner back for Longford but then he is the best corner back in Longford. The club tried an experiment a few years ago where he played full forward for 2 consecutive club league games and he scored a combined total of 16 pts. The experiment failed because they needed Declan Reilly out the field to kick the ball in to Declan Reilly!!! And speaking of Paul Barden he is the only player I have seen completely outplay Paul and he's done it more than once. Pity is of all the experts on this website you wouldn't find 10 who would recognize him if he walked past them......the problem with coming from an unfashionable little county!!